以前屬於那裡的人
這一支就是門口那個畫面本身：人走了，關係還留著。
noun · B2
A man who was a student at a particular school in the past. This is mainly British English, and it is used above all about the private schools that Britain calls public schools.
校友（男）
這個拼法底下其實是2個不同的字，意思沒有關係， 只是長得一樣。下面分開列出來。跳到 校友（男） · 老先生／老伯
1
old boy
noun核心畫面
Picture a man standing at the gate of a place he once belonged to: a school, a club, a team. He walked out years ago, but the gate is still half open for him, and the people inside still count him as one of theirs. That shared past is the whole idea. Old here can be read as former rather than aged, and boy points back to the years when he was one of the boys inside. So a man of twenty-five can be an old boy.
可以想成一個男人站在他以前待過的地方門口——可能是學校，可能是球隊。他早就離開了，可是那扇門對他還是半開著，裡面的人…更多收起
可以想成一個男人站在他以前待過的地方門口——可能是學校，可能是球隊。他早就離開了，可是那扇門對他還是半開著，裡面的人也還把他算成自己人。整個意思就繞著這段共同的過去在轉。這裡的 old 可以讀成「以前的」，不是「年紀大的」。boy 則指回他還在裡面的那些年。所以一個二十幾歲的人，也可以是 an old boy。From the picture
這層關係被拿來用
同一扇半開的門，從溫馨的一面翻到現實的一面：既然大家算自己人，好處也就先在裡面流動一輪。
noun · C1
The quiet system in which men who went to the same school, or belong to the same club, use their contacts to help each other get jobs, deals and favours.
老同學人脈圈
Also in this word
noun · C1
A man who used to belong to a club, team or other group. In British sports writing it is used most often about a player who used to play for the team.
舊將／前成員
A second word, same spelling
2
old boy
noun核心畫面
Here old goes back to its plain meaning, and the two words turn into a warm, slightly teasing British way of putting old and boy side by side. Sometimes it really is about an old man, spoken of kindly. Sometimes only the warmth is left, and the man it is aimed at is not old at all. Either way the tone is the point: familiar, relaxed, a hand on the shoulder.
在這一支裡，old 回到字面上的年紀。可以想成英國人那種拍拍肩膀的口氣，把「老」跟 boy 放在一起講，聽起來親切又…更多收起
在這一支裡，old 回到字面上的年紀。可以想成英國人那種拍拍肩膀的口氣，把「老」跟 boy 放在一起講，聽起來親切又有點逗。有時候真的是在說一位上了年紀的男性，語氣裡帶著喜歡。有時候只剩下那份親近，被叫的人其實一點也不老。不管哪一種，重點都在口氣：熟、放鬆、沒有距離。Two branches
講一位上了年紀的男性
這裡的 old 真的在算年紀，boy 則負責把語氣放軟。
noun · B2
An old man. This is a relaxed, friendly British way of talking about an older man, and it is usually used when you are telling someone about him rather than speaking to him.
老先生／老伯
用來叫住一個男性朋友
同一份親暱的口氣，從「提起他」變成「叫住他」。這時候 old 已經不在算年紀了，只剩下熟。
noun · C1
Used when you speak to a man you are friendly with, in an old-fashioned British way. The man does not have to be old; old here only adds warmth.
老兄（稱呼）